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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23437645">no time to die</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflower_8/pseuds/sunflower_8'>sunflower_8</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Complicated Relationships, M/M, Song Lyrics, Suicidal Thoughts, Time Skips, ambiguous ending, holy shit this fic did not age well i am so sorry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:06:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23437645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflower_8/pseuds/sunflower_8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“i love you too, shu-shu!”</p><p>it wasn’t the worst he’d ever been hurt, in retrospect.</p><p>(or, saihara works with the police and finds his boyfriend leading a riot)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>no time to die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“who are you?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it escapes saihara’s lips tenderly, hushed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperate. </span>
  </em>
  <span>a saccharine </span>
  <em>
    <span>whoosh</span>
  </em>
  <span> of air, the feeling of a tiny, familiar hand against his cheek, only to be replaced with lips-- it is intoxicating, and tears cascade against the lips of a criminal,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>and he whispers, as quiet as mercy allows,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“whatever you would like, detective.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>as saihara watches the cops lead him away in handcuffs, he wonders if he ever knew ouma kokichi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“are you in love with me, saihara?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it was back when the fireplace was on fire, not the sky. clouds forecasting dismal days-- all saihara could do was sigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i... yes.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>the hesitation was a mistake, but the other smiled brighter. his eyes were twinkling, violent as ever, his pink lips pulled into a smile. it was damning, loving, the look of security that would be so, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect</span>
  </em>
  <span>, had his hands not been pressed into fists. because ouma (</span>
  <em>
    <span>kokichi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>kokichi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <b>
    <em>kokichi</em>
  </b>
  <span>) was a liar, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>and it was easier to believe him than point out the intricacies of every statement that escaped his lips, even if the likelihood of false promises hurt saihara.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i love you too, shu-shu!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it wasn’t the worst he’d ever been hurt, in retrospect.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he sat down on the couch, allowed the mysterious man to curl up into his lap, grinning with the words of </span>
  <em>
    <span>i am twenty three, i am here, and i am eternal, </span>
  </em>
  <span>words saihara never learned to reciprocate. he always had to be older, more mature, to handle everything he faced. but he chose the crime field, after all, so there wasn't a surprise there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>there was hardly surprise in his life, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>aside from </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“kiss me,”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he pouted, so saihara did. his lips were chapped, yet warm, yet repelling. he stayed, because he always would, even if-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“mm... vanilla chapstick, huh shu-shu? didn’t take you for a vanilla kind of guy.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i-!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“nishishishi!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-even if the other would not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“LOCAL CRIMINAL </span>
  <em>
    <span>CAUGHT</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>“IDENTITY OF </span><em><span>PHANTOM</span></em> <em><span>THIEF</span></em><span> UNCOVERED!”</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“LEAD DANGEROUS </span>
  <em>
    <span>RIOT</span>
  </em>
  <span>, NOW BEHIND BARS!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“PLEAD </span>
  <em>
    <span>INNOCENT</span>
  </em>
  <span>, ARRESTED UNDER CHARGES OF-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he turns off the tv, curling up on the couch. it’s dark, nearly one am, and he chose not to turn on any light aside from the one in the kitchen. its broken bulbs are dim, yet bright enough to not terrify him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he’s twenty three and still afraid of the dark.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it provides a kind of uncertainty he can’t make any surmises for. he’s a skeptic-- he doesn’t believe in vampires or monsters, not anymore-- but criminals and murderers are a likely possibility. his work puts him at threat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>although, only two people know his current address:</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>himself,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>and a criminal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>is it selfish to miss him? it isn’t the first time saihara has questioned the police, despite the fact that they bring murderers to justice. that’s the problem, though-- ouma is known to have never hurt </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone, </span>
  </em>
  <span>no matter what vases he steals or riots he starts. he’s a pacifist, a role he takes with pride, so…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>so </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> he really be guilty?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>of course he should</span>
  </em>
  <span>, saihara scoffs, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re just too soft to admit that you fell in love with a thief, an arsonist, an anarchist. that’s on you, saihara.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he turns the tv back on, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>because even with the blaring titles-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“TOKYO POLICE CATCH PHANTOM THIEF!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“SEARCHING FOR REAL NAME!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHO </span>
  <em>
    <span>IS </span>
  </em>
  <span>THE PHANTOM THIEF?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-it at least allows saihara to see his face, one more time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i’m planning something.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“what is it?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>a cold finger against his lips,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“go back to bed. i’ll be back.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he went along with it, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>but he was called to the scene only thirty minutes later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(he was overwhelmed with dread, but he knew in the end that nothing would ever work out with the other,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>and the sight of purple eyes surrounded by flames only confirmed his surmise.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>that i’d fallen for a lie</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>long before his checkered scarf was blood soaked, his head was in his lap, eyes closed pleasantly while saihara read a book above him. it was the only moment of rest the two of them had had in days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i love you.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>it was quiet yet unmistakable; saihara didn’t even hesitate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i love you too.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“heh.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he sighed, saying nothing. the silence, the rest, was damning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>you were never on my side</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>saihara shuts his eyes as the sirens ring out, people pushing around him, trying to escape the crowd. he lets them, barely staying on his feet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he can hear, then, a familiar voice yell</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>as if for theatrics.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>the shouts of people in the streets does not matter. nothing does when the other screams,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>and, even as they stand apart, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>the detective finds that he wishes he was dead, too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>fool me once,</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>fool me twice,</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>are you DEATH</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>or</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>P A R A D I S E</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>now you’ll never see me cry… </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>the day the news says the infamous thief broke out of jail, saihara decides to take a walk. the streets are scarily quiet, but he waits until someone pulls him into an alleyway, his instincts the only part of him fighting off the bruising hold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>saihara watches as the other lunges at him, pulling out his gun and throwing it on the ground. he looks up, then, clinging to him with shaky hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“you aren’t going to kill me.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>saihara just nods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“i’ll let you get away, phantom thief.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he gives him a sly smile, reaching up to grab his face and pull him down into a kiss. it’s far too brief, and soon the criminal is pulling away with a smile saihara hopes is genuine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“thank you.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he begins to leave, but saihara grabs his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“will i see you a-”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>red and blue lights illuminate the area beside the alleyway. the thief sinks into the shadows, as he always does, watching as the police cuff saihara. he doesn’t fight, doesn’t say a word-- he just looks into the eyes of the escapee who could never hide from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>in the dim light,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>he nods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(for once, something sounds better than death.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>
    <span>there’s just </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>no time to die.</em>
  </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so i don't know iff this was a vent</p><p>good start, sun</p><p>yeah that's it i don't know</p><p>oh, yes. i did not revise this. so have it, in all its likely-unfinished glory.</p><p>aren't i just the best writer</p></blockquote></div></div>
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